Education Programs

What is the Youth FilmHouse Residency?

The Youth FilmHouse Residency is an annual program that begins in the Fall semester for Bay Area students grades 9–12 who identify themselves as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color (BIPOC) and are excited to explore careers in film and filmmaking. The residency is co-programmed by SFFILM’s Education and Artist Development teams.

Throughout the residency, students will engage with SFFILM FilmHouse Residents, SFFILM staff in other departments, film industry professionals, and a dynamic curriculum that balances practical skills like production strategy and technique along with trainings, panels, and lectures that highlight industry knowledge and possible career paths through our artist network. As Youth FilmHouse Residents embark on the next stage of their artistic endeavors, we will ensure they are folded into the SFFILM community. By the end of this residency, each student should have a realistic action plan to immediately begin their film career in keeping with their own artistic voice.

Our workshops will take place starting October 2025 and will be every other Saturday from 12–3pm at the SFFILM FilmHouse. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory.

Along with building upon filmmaking skills and meeting a cohort of peers and professional industry contacts, added benefits include a scholarship to the next session of Youth Filmmakers Camp, tickets to Doc Stories and the SFFILM Festival, and a complimentary SFFILM Membership. Additionally, students will be pre-screeners for the Youth Works short film submissions for the 2026 SFFILM Festival.

To learn more about the previous cohort of Youth FilmHouse Residents check out this Q&A with the 2024 attendees.

Application Information

Applications for the Fall 2025 Youth FilmHouse Residency will be open mid-August. For any questions please contact Education Manager Soph Schultz Rocha at sschultzrocha@sffilm.org.

Photo by Pamela Gentile

Photo by Pamela Gentile

Photo by Tommy Lau

Photo by Pamela Gentile

Photo by Pamela Gentile

Photo by Tommy Lau

 
SFFILM Education’s Youth Filmmaker Camp is an intensive summer program for teens ages 14–18 to learn from world-class film professionals in a fun, interactive, and collaborative environment. The program is broken up into two experience levels: the Starter Lab, which is for beginner students looking to learn the basics of filmmaking and enhance their storytelling skills; and the Advanced Lab, which is for students who want to build upon their existing skills. All students dive deep into the filmmaking process by learning about screenwriting, storyboarding, production, cinematography, sound, editing, and much more.

Through a combination of lectures, hands-on exercises, guest speakers, discussions, and workshops, campers form a deeper understanding of the production process from conceptualization to post-production, transform their ideas into proper screenplays, and create group short films of their own. Throughout the duration of camp, students create a short film and rotate roles to experience all positions on a film set including director, cinematographer, sound, and grip. Students will gain technical skills such as editing with Adobe Premiere Pro, screenplay formatting, learning how to use professional cameras, as well as lighting and sound equipment. Camp culminates with a screening of the student’s final films and a walk on the red carpet!

The curriculum is supplemented with guest speakers of SFFILM supported and Bay Area filmmakers. In recent years guests have included Academy Award nominated Jim Lebrecht (Crip Camp), Bret Parker (Pixar), Academy Award nominated filmmaker Trevor Jimenez (Weekends), Alice Wu (The Half of It), and Breaktide Production co-founder Reaa Puri.

Starter Lab

July 14 – 25, 2025
9 am–4 pm

Advanced Lab

July 28 – August 8, 2025
9 am–4 pm

Location
University of San Francisco

Cost
$1,250 (non-SFFILM members)
$1,200 (SFFILM members)
To be considered for a scholarship please submit here.

Make A Gift

Want to make a positive impact on the next generation of storytellers? You can help SFFILM Education serve students in need by making a fully tax-deductible gift in support of Youth Filmmakers Camp Scholarship Assistance.

MAKE A GIFT

For questions about enrollment or scholarship applications please contact SFFILM Education Manager Soph Schultz Rocha at sschultzrocha@sffilm.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you provide financial assistance for this camp?
We want to make it possible for anyone to attend this camp. We offer sliding scale and full scholarships for students/families who would benefit from the assistance. Both scholarships include the cost of the camp only. Scholarships will be awarded based on merit and availability of space in both the Starter and Advanced Labs. Please complete the scholarship application linked here.
 
What’s the difference between Starter and Advanced Lab?
The Starter Lab is for students with little to no experience with filmmaking. In this session we start with the basics and fundamentals of filmmaking. The Advanced Lab is for students who already have experience with filmmaking whether that is through our Starter Lab, another camp, workshop, or through school classes. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of each stage of creating a short film, basic use of a DSLR camera, and experience using editing software.
 
Do you require proof of vaccination to attend the camp?
Your safety is our top priority. Masks are not required but are highly recommended especially when indoors. We are monitoring city public health guidelines and recommendations regarding COVID-19 and may update safety protocols as needed leading up to camp. We do not require proof of vaccination to attend camp.
 
Who can I contact with questions about ADA specifications?
For questions regarding Accessibility for this camp, please contact SFFILM’s Education Manager Soph Schultz Rocha at sschultz@sffilm.org.
 
What is your refund policy?
You can cancel your enrollment up to two weeks before the camp session starts for a full refund, minus a $50 registration fee. If you need to cancel less than two weeks before your session of camp starts we will not be able to issue you a refund.

Screenings for Schools is a year-round series of intentionally curated films and presentations at theaters, schools and other venues in the San Francisco Bay Area. Films are selected to support the curriculum of a range of grade levels and subject areas, and all programs are interactive experiences with opportunities for students to engage with filmmakers, industry professionals, and subject area specialists in post-screening discussions and Q&As.

Through this program, SFFILM Education also brings filmmakers directly into the schools to meet and discuss their films with students in smaller classroom settings. These interactive visits allow students to engage with filmmakers from around the world and give the artists the opportunity to gain valuable feedback from younger audiences. All programs are developed in alignment with Common Core and California educational standards for media literacy.

To learn more, email education@Sffilm.org.